Stranice

Thursday, April 2, 2015

Belgrade

Capital city

Belgrade is capital, and also the largest city of Republic of Serbia. 1 650 000 citizens live within borders of Belgrade. This old and full of history city is situated on the confluence of two big European rivers, Sava and Danube, it also lies on the spot where Pannonian plain touches the mountainous part of Serbia, northern Balkans.

Position

Because of its position, Belgrade is beneficial for international traffic, especially from western parts of Europe to Black sea, eastern Mediterranean and Asia.

History

History of Belgrade is long and culturally diverse. Throughout the history Belgrade had been occupied by Illyrians, Thracians, Dacians, Celts, Romans, Hungarians, Austrians and Ottomans. Before the Slavs occupied Belgrade in 7th century, the name of this city was Singidunum( Singi is a Dacian tribe, and Dunum means city or a fort ). Belgrade or Beograd ( as the Serbian name suggests ) actually means “white city”, it is believed that the city got its name from the white stones of Tašmajdan.

Belgrade story

In year 1284., Belgrade became part of Serbia for the first time. Despot Stefan Lazarević made Belgrade a capital of Serbia by the beginning of 15th century.

Belgrade was burnt to the ground 40 times, but it has always managed to remain an important European metropolis because of its size, wealth and people who have always fought for it. History could be experienced in the city itself, because it contains many important historical and religious objects, monuments and museums.

Importance

Capital of Serbia holds a big importance for south Slavic Christian orthodox culture. Around Belgrade you can find many interesting sacral objects and locations, such as temple of Sveti Sava in Vračar, which is still in construction because it is enormous and very decorated. Church Ružica in Kalemegdan is quite old and church Sveti Marko, famous for its exterior. On the other hand, Belgrade also has a muslim community, where you could find a mosque built in Ottoman times, called Bajrakli. Some of the most visited museums in Belgrade are Vojnimuzej( Army museum ), Museum of Belgrade, Cvijićev muzej ( Jovan Cvijić is a well-known scientist ) , Etnografskimuzej ( shows how life of Serbs used to be ) and Museum of Nikola Tesla.

Tourism

Most visited tourist attractions in Belgrade include Kalemegdan – a fort located on the confluence of Sava and Danube rivers, Knez Mihajlova street ( a long pedestrian street with stores and cafes, Skadarlija street , also a pedestrian area, but famous for its bohemian vibe and numerous “kafana”, bars and restaurants, Zemun which is a part of Belgrade with beautiful architecture from the time of the Habsburgs. Of course, in Belgrade there are many hotels and apartments to welcome tourists.